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Yankees re-sign Andy Pettitte

Andy Pettitte is coming back.

YANKEES RE-SIGN LHP ANDY PETTITTE

The New York Yankees today announced they have re-signed LHP Andy Pettitte to a one-year minor-league contract with an invitation to Major League spring training.

Pettitte, 39, owns a career record of 240-138 (.635) with a 3.88 ERA (3,055.1 IP, 1,317 ER) in 479 starts over 16 Major League seasons with the Yankees (1995-2003 and ‘07-10) and Houston Astros (2004-06). He is one of just 26 pitchers all-time to be 100-or-more games over .500. Of the 19 Hall of Fame-eligible pitchers who have reached that plateau, only “Parisian” Bob Caruthers, who went 218-99 from 1884-92, is not enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Originally selected by the Yankees in the 22nd round of the 1990 First-Year Player Draft, Pettitte has pitched 13 seasons with the club, going 203-112 with a 3.98 ERA (2,535.2 IP, 1,122 ER) and 1,823 strikeouts in 405 games (396 starts). In franchise history, he ranks second in strikeouts and starts, third in wins, fourth in innings pitched and eighth in appearances (405). He has appeared in eight career World Series (seven as a Yankee), winning championships with the Yankees in 1996, ‘98, ’99, 2000 and ‘09.

Among active pitchers currently in a Major League camp, he ranks second in wins, starts and strikeouts, third in innings pitched and sixth in winning percentage (min. 140 decisions).

Pettitte is the all-time winningest pitcher in postseason history, going 19-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 42 career starts. He also ranks first all time in postseason starts and innings pitched (263.0), and is tied for second with 173 strikeouts.

The left-hander last appeared in the Majors in 2010 with the Yankees, going 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA (129.0 IP, 47 ER) in 21 starts and earning an All-Star team selection. His .786 winning percentage was the highest of his career, the best in the AL and the third-highest in the Majors. In the 2010 postseason, he went 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA (14.0 IP, 4 ER) in two combined starts at Minnesota in ALDS Game 2 on October 7, 2010 (W, 7.0 IP, 2 ER) and vs. Texas in ALCS Game 3 on October 18, 2010 (L, 7.0 IP, 2 ER).

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Pettitte, a three-time All-Star (1996, 2001, ’10) and 2001 ALCS MVP, holds the distinction of being the only pitcher in Major League history to post a record of .500 or better while making at least 15 starts in each of the first 16 seasons of his career. He also posted a winning record in each of the first 13 seasons of his career (1995-2007), marking the third-longest such streak to begin a career all time, trailing only Hall of Famers Grover Cleveland Alexander (17) and Cy Young (15).

Back in time

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